IT city to offer WiFi across public spaces

The facility, already available on Mahatma Gandhi Road (MG Road), will soon be extended to several other locations.

Using the free network with a speed of 512 kbps, cell phone users can now access the Internet for up to three hours and download up to 50 MB of data.

In six months, Bangalore is set to be the first city in the country to provide free WiFi services at public places like bus stands and shopping districts. Karnataka Minister for IT and BT SR Patil on Tuesday said that the Government has already called for an Expression of Interest (EOI) from service providers and the proposals are under evaluation.

Using the free network with a speed of 512 kbps, cell phone users can now access the Internet for up to three hours and download up to 50 MB of data. The facility, already available on Mahatma Gandhi Road (MG Road), will soon be extended to several other locations like Brigade Road and terminal bus stands across the city. It will also be made available in the district capitals across the state.

“Once the evaluation process is completed the selected service provider can deploy the service in about four to six months,” Patil said. Apart from the basic public network, users can also access premium services for a nominal fee, the minister added.